It’s been nearly a month now since my initiation into Freemasonry. As an Entered Apprentice my main goal is to study the material presented to me, in order to prepare for my next degree. While not an immensely difficult undertaking, it does take a great deal of time, practice and help from my fellows brother(s). In fact without the help from my fellow brother(s) it would be impossible to achieve. The studying is of the type that requires you to interact with another person , in that the knowledge is imparted orally. Could there be a better example of Brotherhood and Masonic education. I think not.
Often, when left to my own devices, I found myself frequently at a loss in deciphering my readings. I thought what would Google do, as if the almighty search engine were a person. So I would search for answers to my questions. What I found was a wide range of useless information. The reason I say this is that, while there are many examples of the translation I was looking for out there, I quickly came to realize that it varies greatly from Country-to-Country and even State-to-State. What I found even more interesting, was that the method of teaching this information varied so greatly. At my lodge Island City no.215 (plug), and I believe that this is true for the State of California, we are required to memorize our obligation be reading a particular encrypted document. Cryptic huh!?
Well this is not the case every where. I discovered that some in some lodges you are allowed to copy the deciphered text in order to ease the memorization of the obligation. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I wanted to do just that. I know how valuable a practice that is to memorization. But then I look at my own experience with this learning process so far. I have learned the obligation in the way that those before me have and have gotten to spend a great deal of time with a friend and brother learning it in the manner that it was intended. I believe that doing it in this manner has made me really focus on the meaning behind that which I was studying. I also believe that by having someone there, willing to help me, fostered a greater sense of belonging and Brotherhood. Anyone can be given a bunch or words and told to go home and memorize it, but is there any challenge, sense of accomplishment or Brotherhood in that? How can one truly hope to understand what lies beneath it all. The meaning, history or reasoning without the experience of those who have been there, understand themselves and are willing to share that.
I know that in my own lodge, there is an active movement to try to engage and encourage both newer and older members to be more active participants. Personally, when I’m in the position to do the same for the newly initiated, I will look back to my own exeperience and hope to be able to do the same.
Freemasonry is a road traveled by many, but it’s the journey that makes it our own.
